The Sweetest Thing
by The Lost Lenore
Summary: Before she died, she left something behind. Now they've come to claim it from the one who possesses it. "What you will see will eventually become a part of life's dream." (CidxShera)
1. Alter It

As unfortunate as it may be, I do not own Final Fantasy VII nor any of it's amazingly loveable characters. If I did, I wouldn't have to write fanfiction about it and Cid and Vincent would be mine.

please forgive me for bad spelling and inconsistancies you may find in the story. ; i'm not perfect.

"The Sweetest Thing"

CHAPTER 1 Alter It

Blue-eyed boy meets a brown-eyed girl

Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing

You can sew it up but you still see the tear

Oh oh oh , the sweetest thing

Baby's got blue skies up ahead

And in this I'm a rain cloud

You know we got a stormy kind of love

Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing

U2, "Sweetest Thing"

He heard laughter, soft and distant like a shallow, bubbling brook. It was dancing around his senses, bidding him to open his eyes and follow, but in his current state, he wanted nothing more to simply lie where he was. Calm and serene, all about him was something he had never known before, and yet he didn't bother to wonder on it. Then he heard the laughter again, a voice all too familiar, calling his name and coaxing him, in her sweet tone, to rise and follow her. So he did. Rising from where he lay, suddenly finding the binding chains he had known in the world gone, he stood, feeling light as the wind, as if he had wings of his own, and bounded towards the voice, still following it's sound. And then he opened his eyes and saw her smiling face, welcoming him.

"You're not alone. I said I'd come back."

Red XIII looked about him, some strange land, green and lush and yet far from comforting. The sky could not be seen through the twisted entanglement of treelimbs, entwined and choking each other in their thick net. All around him he could make out the shapes of his friends, in the trees and around the dark green of the undergrowth. He heard the laughter of Tifa and pushed through the green until he broke free into a small glade. This is where the noise had come from. All of them, everyone, was there, gathered, and yet apart from one another. He could see Tifa sitting on the grass, but he was surprised to find that she wasn't laughing. She was crying. He made his way over and tried to nuzzle her arms, which held her hands clamped over her face.

"What's wrong, Tifa? Where are we?"

She shook her head and continued to sob. "He's gone. He's gone. He's gone. And all I ever wanted was him."

Red tired to persuade her to come out of her fit, but she wouldn't cooperate, so he turned to find someone else who could help. But he wouldn't recieve more help from them.

Barret was with Marlene, but he had his back to Red, and no matter how much the creature tried to face him, he could never look into his eyes.

"Barret, you have to help me with Tifa!" He barked. But Barret would only repeat the same things over and over again.

"She's in there somewhere's. Gotta build Correl for 'er, for me 'n Marlene. She's in there somewhere . . ."

Red was going to try and grab Marlene's attention, but noticed, somewhat in shock, that she was thoughtlessly playing with the mutilated limb of what had once been Barret's great gun arm.

"What? Barret!"

"She's in there somewhere . . ."

Frightened by what he saw, Red turned and ran, stumbling into the next person he could find. But it wasn't much of a person as it was more of a machine. Cait Sith, or what remained of his mutilated body, sparked and gushed both electricity and machanical fluids, bleeding across the dark green of the thick grass. Red's ears laid flat and his tail tucked between his legs, backing away from the mess.

"It's the future . . ." The badly broken mechanical voice croaked. ". . . the future . . ."

Red turned and recognized Vincent's coffin, running towards it he clawed on it in a desperate attempt to get it open. Vincent was always a man of solid reason and calm intellect. He may know what horrors were going on. But no matter how much he chewed and clawed, the prison wouldn't open, indifferent and uncaring to all that took place around it.

"Vincent! Come out!" Red barked. "Please, what's going on!"

The only sound that came out was a deep hissing growl, something dark and monstrous, and Red slowly crept away from the ominious crate and found himself before Cid. The pilot gazed up at the stars, silent, a shadow behind him that Red could not make out, even when he tried to approach it.

"My dream." Cid said, sounding quite far away from where he actually was stationed directly in front of Red.

"Cid! What's happened to everyone? Why are we all here? Is this some sort of nightmare?"

The pilot took out a cigarette, ignoring the dog, and stuck it in his mouth, lighting it up like Red had seen him do so many times before. Only now, when the pilot breathed out the smoke, instead of a whisp of gray, a stream of blood flowed from his mouth, but Cid didn't seem to notice.

"Going up there." He puffed again, more blood flowing down like a faucet. Behind him the shadow suddenly lit up two perfectly round glowing eyes.

"He's sick, you know."

Horrified, Red backed up and found himself before Yuffie, who sat on the ground counting her materia. He turned to her, trying to hide behind her from the ghastly sight but no matter how much he ran to her, tried to reach her, she was always just a little beyond his reach, counting her stock, a raw hunger in her eyes as she toyed with her prized posessions, oblivious to Red's distress and the horrors happening around her. She was always off on a little patch of ground far from Red and the rest of the group.

Finally, tired and exhausted from running, Red gave up and collapsed to the ground, wailing for the nightmare to end. His ears pricked beyond his own howling, and he noticed a shape, a shadow, moving beyond the trees, as if watching the whole thing take place and yet not wishing to become involved in it. Red sat up nervously, watching in silent apprehension as the shadow continued to pace. He didn't want to approach it, in fear it may be some even greater terror, but he was almost sure he recoginized the odor from somewhere . . .

"He's out there, you know. He's woken up."

Red spun around, his hackles rising, but froze as he recognized Aeris smiling down at him.

"Don't be afraid, there's nothing to fear here." She glanced back out at the shadow and fell silent. "You'll find out eventually."

Red snapped himself out of his shocked stupor and bolted towards her, hiding in front of her legs.

"Aeris! What is this terrible place?"

Aeris smiled. "Don't be afraid, Nanaki." She looked at the others, all in their own states of ghastly unrealness. "This is just a dream."

"A dream?" Red ventured. "Of what?"

"Hmm." Aeris smiled down at him. "Many things. Things that are to come and things that already are. And some things that can be avoided . . . I hope."

Red looked at the others from his safe spot with Aeris.

"But Aeris, aren't you dead?"

"Yes, Nanaki."

"Then are we all dead too?"

"No, those aren't really you're friends. They're just symbols for them, sort of like messages."

Red straightened up somewhat and looked back over at them carefully.

"I don't think I understand it. Why am I having this dream?"

Aeris smiled and knelt down beside him.

"Because something is going to happen, and you are the only one who is awake and capable of hearing these messages. Vincent could, if he wanted to, but he no longer wishes to be so involved in life as you are."

Red continued to gaze at the ghosts of his friends.

"I believe grandfather once told me about being one with the world and recieving such messages. I just never thought I was old enough, or I would actually partake in any. But I'm afraid I still don't know what to do, Aeris. What should I know from all this?"

Aeris sent her gaze over the party as well. "Who is still a mystery? You knew them all very well, it shouldn't be so hard, some of them."

Red frowned. "Does Tifa cry for Cloud?"

Aeris sighed and smiled sadly. "Yes. But she does a very good job of hiding all her pain away."

Red looked over the others. "I don't understand Barret."

"That is a future you can prevent, hopefully."

"And Cait Sith?"

"The future as well."

"And what of Vincent and Cid and Yuffie?"

"Vincent is the present. He dwells on constant sorrow and regret, grief is his motive and he wishes for nothing but a permanent escape, a long rest. He cannot get over his loss and he cannot see beyond his own self-hate. Though you all did a wonderful job in helping him become a better person, I'm afraid his state of mind is not fully healed. Cid is the present and the future. His bad habit is finally catching up to him. He is sick from all his smoking, and though he may not realize it yet, it's going to claim his life eventually. Too soon, actually. He won't live to be fifty. For the future, I'm not sure what that'll hold. Yuffie hasn't changed all that much either. She still gloats over her prizes, and she worries little about anything other than Wutai and gaining more of her precious materia."

Red nodded his head slowly.

"Can . . . can I alter it?"

"Alter it?" Aeris repeated.

"Yes. Now that I've been given this chance to see it, can I alter it? I don't want it to play out like this! I want to stop it! I don't want to see Barret wounded, I don't want to see Cait Sith destroyed, and I don't want Cid to die! I want Tifa to laugh and mean it, I want Vincent to learn to live again, and I want Yuffie to realize there's more to life!"

Aeris bent over and kissed Red on his head.

"You're waking up now."

With a start, Red XIII jumped up from his bed, blinking his eyes against the lonely rays of the barley rising morning, and bounded across the cave and down the hall.


	2. Get Her Back

THE SWEETEST THING

CHAPTER 2 Get Her Back

In front of the sink, it was her habit. She had hers, and he had his. But he wasn't here anymore, he was gone.

Wiping her hands dry on a towel, she turned her eyes towards the front door and sighed.

_Come through that door . . . come home . . ._

Cait Sith scratched his machanical head.

"Well, I s'ppose I can take a heli down there an' pick yah up. But really, what's all the rush, eh?"

He frowned as Red barked something across at him.

"Aight, I'll be there in a week, jus' hang on to yer tail!"

"No, he isn't here."

"He isn't there? Well where is he then? Red wants us all to meet in two weeks over here at _7th Heaven_. He's making it sound urgent."

"He was here only once since you all defeated Sephiroth. He's been out ever since looking for his baby."

"His what!"

Shera laughed. "In his language, that means he's been looking for his _Tiny Bronco_."

"And you've been there by yourself all this time?"

Shera paused. "I'm just looking after the Captain's house for him. I thought he'd like it . . ."

Tifa sighed on the other end. "Well if he comes back within the next two weeks, let him know about the meeting, okay?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, take care, Shera. Bye."

click

"You too."

Out in the garden, in the backyard, with the sun towards the east and the mountains dead ahead. Clouds strewn across the blue abyss like a partial blanket. She breathed in the crisp december air and tried to plant some more bulbs in the stubborn, cold earth. These would make lovely winter flowers come January and Feburary. _Maybe you'll be back by then . . ._

Distant noise.

She looked up into the thick sky. That had sounded familiar, but with the crisp breeze pushing in the gray clouds from the north, she was sure it was nothing more than the wind.

A rumble.

She shot her gaze upwards again. She'd heard it this time. Engines. She had heard engines on the wind. She scanned the air and unconsciously bit her lip, wishing to be able to see beyond the frosty clouds. _Doesn't mean it's him._

Rumble.

She knew that sound. There was only one plane that made such a distinctive hum. She stood, an earth encrusted glove shielding her eyes from the morning sun. They were too large for her, she had borrowed his for this exact purpose. They were old and unused, and the newly added dirt had little effect on their previous state. She scanned the sky from behind her large glasses, teasing her lip more. Then, just as suddenly as it arrived, the sound was gone.

_It wasn't him . . ._

She sat down again, trying to distract her mind from thinking any longer on it, when through the clouds a loud whirring broke through the thick sky and the gray spiraled crazily in tight ringlets of smoke as propellers pushed back the curtain and the faded red _Tiny Bronco_ sailed into view. Shera practically jumped from the ground, watching in breathless relief as the machine circled around the perimeter a few times, lowering altitude, and came to land in the yard, blowing vicious wind around and tossing her hair crazily about her head and bowling over her basket of flower bulbs.

She took a step forward as the plane turned, it's engines died, and the cockpit was kicked open and Cid jumped out, a moment later reaching in and taking out his spear with him as well.

"Captain!" Shera called. He turned and spotted her, smiling with a cigarette clamped between his teeth.

"Told yah I'd get her back, didn't I?"

She smiled, unable to shake it off, and nodded. "Yes, you did."


	3. Forget It

If you haven't noticed already, these are very short little blogs of story-writing fun I've made. So bear with me on the brevity of each entry. Mako Red Eyes - thanks for the encouragement. I shall try and keep up with my updates.

THE SWEETEST THING

CHAPTER 3 Forget It

Tea leaves. There was always something so warming about the smell of tea leaves.

She finished heating the water and turned the stove off when the shrill whistle cut through the small house. The door to the bathroom opened and Cid came out, coughing and drying off his wet hair with a towel. Though he was still damp, his own lack of patience towards even drying himself off properly, he came out in a pair of night pants she had given him prior to his shower. She was already in an pair of her own and an oversized old shirt he didn't wear anymore. The reason was that she wore it to sleep now.

"'bout time!" He called as he sat down heavily at the table. "Been starvin' and dyin' of cold up in that damn plane!" He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and stuck one in his mouth, fluidly lighting it up and tucking the pack and lighter away. He took a drag and blew the smoke out.

Shera took out two cups from the cabinet and placed a packet of green tea in each, pouring the steaming water into the cups and taking them over to the table where Cid sat, running the towel uncerimoniously through his dull golden hair, a thin line of smoke curling up towards the ceiling. She went back to the stove and bent down and opened up the oven, suddenly the room was filled with the wafting aroma of the bakery she had made for the both of them.

"What's that?" Cid asked as he threw the towel over his shoulder carelessly, letting it land on the wooden floor.

"Pie." Shera answered as she carried it steaming over to the table on a large plate. "I'll have to go grocery shopping again, I haven't picked up a lot of supplies since . . . well, since you left."

"That's alright." Cid said, taking the cigarette out of his mouth as he sipped from the hot cup. "Green tea, eh?"

Shera smiled. "I thought you'd like it. It's good for you. Unlike those."

Cid sniffed indignantly but drank a large gulp and then proceeded to take a long drag of his cigarette.

Shera came over and sat down next to him, taking a cutting knife and slicing through the pie, taking out a piece for her and Cid.

"Tifa called two days ago." She said, placing the pie on his plate.

"Tifa?" Cid asked, taking in a breath of smoke and letting it go as he cut into his portion with a fork. "Two days ago, eh? What'd she want?"

Shera sat down after she placed her pie on her plate and thought about it.

"She said something about meeting up at _7th Heaven_ in two weeks or so. I'm not really sure, but she told me to tell you to call her via you PHS to get ahold of her."

Cid shrugged. "Whatever. I'm gonna eat my fuckin' dinner and then I'm getting some well deserved sleep. She can wait until tomorrow." And then he put out his cigarette on the edge of his plate and took a mouthful of his food to prove his point.

Shera ate a piece of hers. "So where did you find the _Tiny Bronco_? Was it very difficult?"

"Ah," Cid took another generous mouthful and spoke around his chewing. "Hell, I had to travel all around the fuckin' globe to get that piece of crap back! Asked a million people at a dozen places, but finally got enough leads to send me in the right direction."

Shera nodded.

"An' finally I found her docked off, still floatin' like a damn boat, in the water where those numbskulls made me have to leave her. Bad case of rust all over the bottom of her hull but nothin' I can't fix." He shoved the last of the pie in his mouth and helped himself to another piece.

"I'm sure it feels good to have the _Bronco_ back though?"

Cid laughed. "Hell yeah it does!" He yawned and then shoved more pie in his mouth.

Shera finished her serving and stood up, taking her plate with her and placing it in the sink. She began to wash it and by the time she was done Cid had finished his second piece and was poking at the remainder of the pie with his fork, taking a few half-hearted mouthfuls between his finishing off his cooling tea.

"Come now, Captain," Shera scolded calmly as she pulled the pie out of his reach. "Leave some for tomorrow."

Cid grumbled and let his fork fall onto his empty plate, leaning back and staring around his house.

"You've kept it clean in here."

"Yes." Shera said as she stood up from covering and placing the pie in their refrigerator. "I hoped it would be clean when you got back."

Cid continued to gaze around as she came back and took his plate, carrying it to the sink. She finished washing and drying it and came back to the table, seeing her half-drank cup of tea.

She moved to pick it up when Cid's hand shot out and grabbed hers around the wrist.

"Forget it." He said, standing up and releasing her. "It's cold anyways. I'm tired and it's getting later and colder as we just stand around here."

Shera looked at the tea cup.

"Forget it!" He motioned for her to follow him around the table and towards the back room where their sofa was. "Leave it for tomorrow," He covered his mouth as he coughed. "alright?"

She smiled. "Alright, Captain."

They moved into the back room and Cid pulled out the bed extension, removing the blankets as Shera slipped under them and he joined her a moment later. It wasn't the first time they had shared a bed, but it wasn't that often a routine of theirs. Mostly they only shared the sofa when the weather got too cold to try and sleep on their own in their small house. It was never planned on, just a known thing, when one went in the other would join. An unspoken partnership. And then again, it was even easier and a more common language when they wanted to be left alone. That was simple to understand and pick up. And it was something she had come to understand as a second language from the Captain.

He wiggled into a more comfortable position and sighed contently. She liked that sound and scooted her back towards him a little more. In a little while she could hear him asleep and soon after joined him.


	4. Sound of Rain

. . . I hope you like this. I apologize for my lack of updating. Sorry! . . .

ooo

CHAPTER 4

Sound of Rain

oOo

"Daddy!"

"In a sec, Marlene."

Barret turned back to Tifa.

"Anythin' else yah need fixed 'round here?"

Tifa wipped her foreheaded on the back of her hand, coming away damp from sweat.

"No, I think that's all for today. Thanks, Barret."

The large man nodded. "No problem."

"Daddy!"

"Whatcha want, baby?"

"I'm thirsty!"

Barret chuckled and picked her up as if she weighed nothing and carried her over to the back kitchen of the newly re-built _7th Heaven_. Tifa finished clearing up the loose screws and bolts that they had just been using to put up cabinets and finish off the bar counter when the phone rang. Tifa walked over and picked it off the hook quickly, bringing it up to her ear in a swift motion.

"Hello? . . . Cid? . . . Where have you been? . . . Oh, well you got it back? . . . Oh good. I'm glad you called. . . . She did? Well yes, I did call. . . . Well, it would seem that Red has had something very important he needs to tell us all. . . . I don't know, but he's very adamant about seeing us all in person. . . . I don't know why! But we'd all appreciate it if you could come, and pick up Yuffie on your way. Eleven days from today. . . . Thanks, Cid. . . . Okay, Bye."

"Who was that?" Barret asked as he came back out, Marlene bobbing behind him happily with a cup of water in her hand.

"Cid." Tifa said, hanging up the phone.

"Cid? Where has that sob been off ta?"

"Looking for the _Tiny Bronco_."

Barret picked Marlene up and placed her up on the counter-top.

"Oh. Well, is he comin'?"

"Yeah. He's bringing Yuffie."

"Hmm. Then that makes all of us. Wonder what Red's all about?"

"I don't know. But we'll find out soon enough."

oOoOo

"Dammit! Look at this fuckin' mess! Look what they did to my baby!"

Shera sighed and worked to finish the rest of planting her flower bulbs. She had found them stuck to the ground in frost the next morning and hoped that they would still bloom. Above her the sky predicted heavy rain, and she was sure if nothing else, a good shower could provoke her buds into bloom.

"Crap, now I haveta paint a new fuckin' coat on her!"

She covered the last of the heads with earth and slapped her gloved hands together, knocking dirt to the ground in a shower. She grabbed the basket and entered the house, placing the empty basket in a cabinet under the sink.

"Shera, get out here and give me a hand!"

She stood up, sighing, and opened the door, throwing off her gloves to the ground outside. She walked out to where Cid was working on _Bronco_.

"Yes, Captain?"

He ripped out the dying cigarette from his mouth and threw it to the ground. "Take the hose and spray it down while I scrape the shit out of all this goddamn mess."

"Alright."

She took the hose and let it rip. Cid, who didn't seem to either notice, or mind that half the spray was hitting him, dug into the _Bronco's_ hull with a will, chisling away at the rust.

"Captain."

"Keep it comin'!"

"Captain!"

"Just hold that damn hose!"

"Cid!" She cut his water supply.

He jumped and turned, angry that she released on the water.

"What, dammit!"

"Captain," She brushed her fly-away hair from her eyes. "I don't see how more water is going to help."

"Don't argue with me!" Cid snapped. "Who's the Captain? I am! That means you do what I say! Now spray that damn hose!"

"I don't think I'll need to."

"What?"

With a welcoming, on que blare of thunder, the sky dumped it's heavy load all over the _Bronco_ and the two people working to restore it.

"Oh-fucken-fantastic." Cid sighed. He turned to Shera. "What are you doing! Get inside the house!"

"Captain, what about the plane?"

"Dammit!" He rushed inside the house and came out a moment later towing a plastic sheet with him. He dashed to the _Bronco_ and flung the sheet over it, trying to protect it as best he could from the weather. Shera jumped into action and took the opposite side, pulling it over the ship. Before long the two managed to fasten the plastic over the ship and get it secure from the weather's torment. Then, completley soaked, they both ran back into the house, dripping wet all over the floor.

Shera threw her back against the door, slamming it shut against the storm and laughing quietly as she watched Cid stamp over to the bathroom, grabbing a towels and bringing them back. He tossed one to Shera who caught it and began to strain out her hair into it. As always, her willful brown lay in utter chaos, now plastered flat to her face and streaking over her glasses from the wet.

Cid ran the towel through his own hair like a maniac, and turned towards Shera. He saw the way she looked and began to laugh.

"Captain? What's so funny."

"Funny? Look at yerself! Haha! That's what's funny!"

Shera sighed and gave him a look.

"You're cruel."

Cid laughed and sat down in his seat. "Yeah, maybe."

They both grew quiet as the sound of rain picked up and filled the atmosphere. Cid reached into his pant pockets and pulled out his packet of cigarettes, shoving one in his mouth and lighting it up. Putting it away he looked down at the table and Shera turned her head towards the kitchen stove. Tea.

She walked over and began to heat up the tea kettle.

Cid began to cough and think things over in his mind. He hadn't been back home since his last visit when they had all managed to kick Sephiroth's ass and save the world. But he had only come to get a few things and leave again, two months gone and now he was suddenly back. And things had changed. A lot of things had changed. But for right now, the things that really changed were between the two people in his kitchen.

i _Shera, you were right. . . . sorry . . ._ /i

Yup, he had finally come out and said it. The big "s" word, and she had graciously accepted. But now what? She had stayed these past two months because he had asked her, and she had offered, to watch the house. But that was over, and there was no more debt, or punishment, to bind them here.

"Thanks."

"For what, Captain?"

"For watchin' the house while I was gone."

"Oh, no trouble."

She busied herself with wiping down the sink counter to fill in the silence. She could hear him taking long drags on his cigarette and could smell the smoke slowly filling the kitchen area. The tea screamed it was done and she pulled out two more green tea packets and stuck them in two cups, filling both up with steaming water and carrying them to the table.

Cid took his and watched the packets stain the water a darker brown.

He puffed on his cigarette and frowned.

"So now what to do with the rest of this wasted day . . ."

Shera sipped on her cup quietly.

The Highwind was outside, what was left of it. Ruined and unflyable, it sat like a ghostly reminder of it's former glory. Cid and his crew had managed to bring what was left of his life's pride and joy back to rocket town and give it a spot of burial before the empty launch pad of the Shin-Ra 26. It sat there, lost and dejected, waiting for the day it could be repaired and sky worthy once more.

The Highwind was unreachable. But there was still something esle he could work on in the meantime.

"Want the car fixed?"

"The car?"

"Yeah, you could take it out. Get to the next town or whatever." He thought about what he said. "Though not alone, granted."

She smiled as he puffed smoke out. Like a big lazy dragon.

"Naturally."

He seemed to think it over a little more, then happy that was something he could do, stood up and beconed her to follow him.

"A'right, let's get this piece o' crap up and workin'."

Shera smiled and rose to follow. They were both still soaking wet.

"Yes, Captain."


	5. Volatile

Another update!

oOoOo

CHAPTER 5

Volatile

oOoOo

So the car idea hadn't proved to be as efficient a plan as he had originally thought. So he was left moody and bored. So the rain didn't want to let up and the _Bronco_ sat silent and sullen in the meantime. So he had resorted to other ways of spending his time and days. So he helped Shera in the garden and in the house. His garden, his house, her love and her effort. But their intricate dance on eggshells they had been sharing through the last days of his sudden return was beginning to wane, and their old temperments, (his old temperments), where beginning to show their resiliance to change. Now it was the last day before he would take off to Midgar, and he was in the garden, and things were beginning to look as dark and dismal as the sky.

"Here, Captain."

"Aww, fuck it. I'm sick of digging out all these damn weeds when they're only gonna come back in a few days."

"Captain, if you don't pull out the weeds now, they'll only get bigger and worse than they are now. The flowers won't grow."

"Since when did we need these fuckin' flowers anyways?"

"I like them."

"Since when did we do things just because you 'like them'?"

Shera turned her gaze down to the dirt.

"Since never, I suppose."

Cid tensed. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. But he wasn't about to back down now.

"Fuck it. I'm tired of all this stupid diggin'." He ripped out his dying cigarette and threw it in the wet earth, standing and walking back inside. Maybe he could find some needed parts to his car that he hadn't been able to find before, albiet his given ten days.

"Sorry, Captain." Shera muttered, more out of habit than anything else, even though he was already gone.

She sat, looking down at the dirt, but not bothering to plant anymore. Cid tinkered with the engine. He knew it would run, but he still needed working brakes and a control board to read gas and miles and speed. Without these, driving would be almost impossible. But he wasn't about to admit to the futility of it all. He was still upset, and this helped him to relieve his mind. Tinkering was always a relaxation for him.

oOoOo

"I'm takin' off now. I'll be there bright an' early 'roun dawn ta pick yah up. A'right?"

"Sure. But flying through the night?"

"Yah, why not? N'thing goin' on 'round here, so thought I'd just go ahead an' do a little night flyin'! Best sorts. 'Sides, got a load o' coffee over here."

"Well, if you're sure."

"Sure, sure, no sweat! Y'all worry too much, yah know?"

"Maybe . . ."

"'Sides, I'ma robot, 'member? Ain't nuthin' that terrible's gonna happen ta me."

"Alright, dawn then. See you then, Cait."

"Righ'. Later, Red."

oOoOo

He wasted his time fixing things in his exceptionally tidy, for _his_, house and before long he heard the back door open. He could tell it was starting to rain, he could hear the light sound of sprinkling, and new Shera had come in out of retreat from the weather and to make dinner. His stomach had been rumbling, reminding him of the time of day. But he wasn't going to confront her about it. He wasn't in the mood to face her at this time for fear that he'd explode towards her some more. He really didn't want to anymore, but it was hard to end old wrongs and old feelings. So he continued to busy himself for a little longer, blowing smoke like an exhaust pipe, before he heard Shera's voice.

"Dinner, Captain."

Cid came out, wiping his hands on a rag he threw carelessly on the dinner table, blowing out a puff into the air. He then sat down, kicking his feet up on the table.

"Captain!" Shera snapped. "Don't dirty my clean table!"

"You're table?" Cid laughed. "Last time I checked it was _my_ table! Like it's my whole damn house!"

Shera gave him a very disapproving look, anger glaring at him from behind her glasses as she shook her head, turning away as if she couldn't bare to look at him any longer. Cid shifted uncomfortably and lowered his feet. He hadn't liked that look.

"You got that damn food ready yet?" He asked, a little more gruff than he felt at the moment.

Shera twirled around, practically dropping the bowl of soup in front of him. She then turned, putting the lid on the large pot and stuffing it in the refrigerator. After she left the kitchen and headed to the bathroom, not turning her eyes once to the pilot who watched her through narrow eyes.

Cid muttered a string of obsenitites under his breath and rounded on the door, pounding on it with a fist.

"What the hell do you think you're on about, acting like that? You ain't got no right to be giving _me_ attitude in my own home!" He waited for a reply but none came. "Dammit girl, you better fuckin' answer me, you hear? Who do you think you are?"

"I hate you."

He froze. What had she just said to him? It had only been a soft answer but he had caught it.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

Silence.

"Fine! You hate it so fucken much here then leave! No one's makin' you stay, for fuck's sake!"

The door opened and Shera emerged, tears lacing her angry eyes, glaring out behind her round glasses. What anger there had been on Cid's face almost instantly flowed away like a receeding wave as he saw her expression. Had he done that to her? She pushed past him angrily, turning her back to him. He didn't know what to say.

"Fine. You forgave me, so I suppose that's as good as it gets."

Cid glowered at her turned back, regaining his anger. But was it towards her? He wasn't so sure . . .

"Damn right I forgave your ass! Sick of it as I am."

Shera didn't say anything, but he thought he heard a noise come from her.

"Fuck this."

He walked past her and entered his spare room where his car sat and slammed the door shut. His room, his bedroom on more than occasion, where he used the car's seats as a Cid-designed bed. A moment later he heard the bedroom door close.

She lay on the pull out sofa, crying silently under the blankets. Why did he have to be so volatile all the time? And why couldn't they just learn to get along? Was it really that difficult to replace the old with the new? She supposed it was. But she wouldn't have to worry on it for long. It seemed like she'd be finding somewhere else to contend with tomorrow.

She lay thinking like that for longer than she kept track of, silently shaking below the sheets, both afraid and eager to get away from all this. But she fell silent instantly as she heard the door slowly creak open. She tried to hold back her sobbing as she heard padding footsteps and the bed groan under sudden wait. He was there. He slid under the cover and pulled up next to her, burying his face in the back of her head, in her dark brown hair. She sighed and stayed that way, listening to the rain outside mingling with the sound of their steadying breath. He was sorry. He wanted her to stay. That was another of their silent language she had come to understand. His apologies. He hardly said them, but he gave them to her, in his own way. She closed her eyes and settled down. Alright, she'd stay.

oOoOo

Cait Sith groaned as he glarred through the thin sleet of rain, his Mog sitting behind him with his omnipresent cheshire grin glowing off the control panels dull light. Moonlight was little help now and he had the helicopter's headlights blarring through the thick of the storm. Behind his robotic eyes, Reeve sipped at his hot coffee mug

"Damn storm."


	6. Taint of Pink

CHAPTER 6

Taint of Pink

oOoOo

She woke up to him coughing. She turned over and ran her hand over his shaking shoulders.

"What's wrong? You okay?"

He took a breath to steady himself then nodded roughly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine."

She frowned and ran a hand through his short hair..

"I don't like it, you've been coughing lately. It's all those cigarettes."

"I'm fine."

"You won't be if you keep smoking them like you do. Just try and cut back a little."

"I said I'm fine."

"Sure. But you'll end up sick if you don't take it easy on them. Please, Captain?"

He coughed again, covering his mouth with his hands.

"Sure, whatever."

They laid quiet for a little longer, the rain seemed to have stopped sometime ago. There was no sound except for them.

"What time is it?"

Shera looked at her watch, pressing down on the indigo and glarring hard at it. She couldn't make it out without her glasses.

"I don't know."

He took her wrist and glarred through bleary eyes at the green glowing face.

"Damn. Six in the morning."

"Want to get up?"

"No."

"Me either."

They laid like that a little longer. They could both easily recall yesterday. He pulled closer to her and breathed out long into the sofa mattress. She understood.

"It's alright." She said finally.

He snorted and rolled over to look up at the ceiling.

"I changed my mind."

"Oh?"

"You put more work in this than me."

" . . . "

"It's yours now, alright?"

She didn't say anything for a while and he figured she was content with it. But then she spoke.

"I don't want it."

"C'mon, I'm lettin' you have it."

"Thank you, but no."

"Why?"

"Because."

He turned to look at her face, she was starring at him.

"Why?"

"Because I like sharing it better."

He stared at her a little longer before he smiled, coughed, and turned away.

"Well then, in that case you'll have to make a compensation."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"I do that, and you hit me. But just don't ever say that again, alright?"

"Captain -"

"It'll let me know what I'm doing."

" . . . "

"I mean it."

She sighed. "Alright."

oOoOo

Whirring and wind. His tail whipped crazily behind him and his mane was laid flat as the helicopter pulled in, the sun just barely peaking over the tops of the mountains. From behind the stick, Red could make out the form of Cait Sith, waving and smiling with his chesire face.

"Hey! Toldya I'd make it!"

Red bounded over as the robotic Mog slid open the side door. The giant beast lept in and the door was slammed shut behind him.

"How long do you think it'll take?"

"Ha! No time! Be in Midgar by breakfast time!"

He pulled on the stick and the machine rose into the air, blades whirrling in a dizzying spin and carrying them out of Cosmo Canyon and into the awakening sky, clouds a rosy taint of pink, forgetting for a moment their heavy gray of yesterday.

oOoOo

"Aw gawd! I can't take this much longer!"

"Shut yer trap and keep yer shit inside your stomach and off of my ship!"

"Jesus, old man, you're heartless."

The ship lowered suddenly and she groped her stomach in a desperate attempt to keep her breakfast down.

"Can't you fly this thing any better? I'm dyin' over here!"

"Git out of here and don't tell me how to fly my own goddamn ship!"

Yuffie gurgled some disrespectful answer and crawled her way out.

Cid glarred after her retreating form and turned back towards the main window, blowing out a puff of smoke in thought. Another hour and they'd be at Midgar.

oOoOo

"Hey Teef, whatcha doin' back there?"

Tifa quickly hid the photo under her pillow and left the room, pulling her hair back out of her face. Barret was waiting for her out in the bar.

"Cait jes' phoned in. Be here in'a few."

"Alright." Tifa said, sitting down. "Time to find out what this is all about."

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"There's animals outside."

oOoOo

I forgot to say, but I don't have an e-mail address of my own. So if for some reason you feel you need to contact me, you can find me on Go-Gaia under the name Lenore Nevermore.


End file.
